The Stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (And Some Famous Fans) Pay Tribute to Stan Lee

The comics world is reeling from the news that Stan Lee passed away earlier today in Los Angeles at the age of 95. Stan touched the loves of millions of people, including generations of readers. But along the way those readers grew up, and they started making stuff too, and the inspiration they drew from Stan’s work at Marvel was essential. And of course as Marvel grew and expanded into movies, Stan’s co-creations became some of the biggest names in the world of popular culture.

As word of Lee’s death made its way online, some of Lee’s colleagues at Marvel — including some of the men and women who played his characters onscreen — paid tribute, along with some of his famous fans. Here’s a sampling of the tributes so far.

More than any specific superhero, that’s Stan’s true legacy. He created characters that helped readers understand and navigate their world — and in shaping a Marvel that welcomed every reader no matter who they were or what they looked like, he reinforced the lessons he espoused in his writing. With great power comes great responsibility wasn’t just something Spider-Man said. It was clearly the way Stan lived his life. Rest in peace, Stan.